After being seen as the clear favorites up until as late as Friday afternoon, the Tar Heels have missed on George Wilson II. The 2021 4✮ weakside defensive end from Virginia Beach, VA announced via Instagram Live that he would be committing to South Carolina over the Tar Heels, Penn State and Arizona State just a short time ago. This one definitely stings, especially with how confident everyone around the situation was that he was going to be the latest commitment in this 2021 cycle that has been a historic one for the Tar Heel football program. Let’s look at where the Tar Heels go next after missing on Wilson.
Overall Focus Turns to Bryson Nesbit and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins
Wilson was seen as the Tar Heels biggest remaining target, but with him now off the board the attention will turn to two more 4✮ targets. The Tar Heels and Gamecocks are the two favorites for 4✮ TE Bryson Nesbit and while South Carolina jumped out to an early lead for his services, the Tar Heels have used the COVID-19 break to establish a better relationship with the talent Charlotte, NC product and get themselves back in the race. The team’s biggest target at defensive tackle, another major position of need in the 2021 class, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, will also receive added attention now that Wilson is committed. While the Tar Heels were not among the three schools that he told GoVols247 he will take official visits to, the Gaffney High School senior still seems to have the best relationship with the Tar Heel staff of the team’s three targets at defensive tackle.
New Targets at WDE Should Emerge
With both Tomon Fox and Tyrone Hopper departing after the season, the Tar Heels are in need of depth at the RUSH end position. With both Zaire Patterson and George Wilson having gone elsewhere in the past month and a half, the Tar Heels will have to shift their focus to be able to add some depth to this position in the 2021 cycle. The only uncommitted offers for the Tar Heels in the class are 4✮ Kelvin Gilliam and 3✮ Alex Okelo, both guys who the team hasn’t really established a strong relationship with at this point. The good news is, neither guy seems to be close to a final decision, so there is time for the staff to make some noise in each of their recruitments. The staff may also be willing to send out a few more scholarship offers in the next few weeks. Names to keep an eye on in this case are in-state 3✮’s Aaron Hall and Ryheem Craig, who are currently committed to Duke and Louisville respectively, and uncommitted 3✮’s Deonte Anderson and James Smith, the latter of who is a high school teammate of recent Tar Heel commit Tony Grimes.
Look to 2022 For WDE Help
While there is a need for depth here, the good news is, it wouldn’t be a disastrous blow to the class if they weren’t able to land a weakside defensive end in this class. The 2022 class looks to be loaded once again with talent at the position, headlined by 4✮ in-state standout Malaki Hamrick. One has to think with Hamrick, a player who nearly committed on the spot when he was offered, and plenty of other talent, the Tar Heel will be able to do damage at the position in the next cycle if they want to.
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